Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Chopper Hog Hunts... anyone Been???

Have some very important customers that really wanna go after pigs from a chopper.
Not really on my bucket list at all and I probably will not go myself due to timing conflicts but wanna send these guys.
Looking for safe pilots and an operator that provides weapons for sure. Any recommendations would be very helpful.

JB

i sent a buddy who might be able to help you out a message, as soon as hear from him I'll let you know.

It is B.S. I and most us have trouble shooting as it is.

There was a video on Youtube I think that showed it and the guy was scary accurate, a lot more than me with a 60 !

Yes sir RandyR no dought you and the 60. Do you trust? I have allittle as well. No.

By the way what is the cost for a gallin of JP4 theases days?

I talked to an outfit at the Dallas Safari Show that offered these types of hunts/shoots.

They are the ones that have a few videos on YouTube.

Didn�t have much time as I had to get back to my booth but they did supply the AR-15 and it ran about $2000 for a 2 hour flight/hunt/shoot.

Said the worst shoot was 5 pigs killed and the best around 40 pigs killed. Shots were around 15-20 yards. Used Robinson 22s and the flights were early morning and evening when the pigs were moving.

From what I saw I might be interested in doing it for the experience sometime. Hardly a hunt but then shooting PDs is not much of a hunt and I have done that on occasion.

I've seen the videos on youtube as well and that looks very fun. I would like to do something like that some day.

I've watched a few of these chopper hunts and always wondered what happens with the hogs?

Does someone pick them up and process them or are they just left where they lay? I realize that hogs are a serious nuisance, so I'm not criticizing either way, just curious.

They let them lay. In Texas wanton waste laws don't apply to exotic animals like it does to game animals...which is why you can hunt them at night as well etc..

$2k for 5 hogs seems like a raw deal to me, but it is hunting. There are places you can ride all night in a high rack in TX for the price of gas and kill till your shoulder gets tired.

OK get a hold of my buddy Val Stewart at http://qualityhuntconsultants.com/
he would have to send in a lOA ( land owner authorization} and a 24 hour notice, 450 per hr

STX Hunter....Tell Val that I (Josh Fromme) said hello. Havent heard from him in a while. We flew the Dipper Ranch when he was employed there.

Anyone considering in participating in on of these "HUNTS", I suggest using your head. Its not worth the money, like someone posted above, there are places you can wear your shoulder out for a whole lot less money. I see these turning in to expensive helicopter rides, with the only REAL benefit going to the pilot. Another feabile attempt by the state of TX to "improve" things for landowners. Look what our deer program has evolved into? State has destroyed the hunt and sport in hunting, and I question the ethics of some of our state programs.

I agree the state had to come up with some option to "help" landowners with the expense of removing feral hogs, but turning any helicopter pilot loose with any Tom, Dick, and Harry is not going to be an efficient way of removal. We have been doing this in TX since 94-95, co its not a new concept. A good pilot with a good gunner are priceless and the most efficient means of hog removal, but there is an art to the service. I have seen 10 of thousands of hogs and coyotes die over my shoulder with the 2 or 3 gunners that I use.

I got tired of having skids shot up, holes punched in the floor board, having to set guys down to puke or have them get out because they proved they couldnt handle an AR safely. Landowners always had someone they wanted to let ride and shoot, but I got away from that quickly. When machines start getting torn up and people getting hurt, I hope pilots like myself will still be able to provide this service to landowners like before. There is a group of us that have been making part of out living providing depredation services and hope it doesnt come to a complete shutdown due to a bad decision on the states part.

Been there, done that. Hogs and songdogs. About the most fun you can have with your clothes on.........

Where we fly and kill hogs and yotes, you would kill 5 in about 10 minutes. You would forsure be getting it in the azz if my guy charged that much.

Toby Joe

I can't imagine going wrong with Toby if he can hook you up.

The 5 number came from the worst case. I was just relating what I was told.

Toby Joe,

What is your rate and how is the hunt/shoot setup. I am thinking this would be fun and am also looking for options.

He gets $600 an hour, and you can kill all that we see, and its usually ends up being hour, hour and a half. No gurantees of killing anything, but have never been and not stacked them up. He owns a Bell jet ranger. He will take both back doors off, and a shooter on both sides. Runs a Benelli riot gun for the yotes, and an AR 15 with a hollow sight for the pigs. We have several ranches around the area that we have fly permits for. This is not my deal, I dont make a dime. I just like to go watch. I have done it many times, and its about as much fun as I have ever had.

Toby Joe

The $2000 (that is rounded up) for the hunt was for 2 hrs in a Robinson 22 and included lodging for at least 1 night, rental AR-15 set up for helicopter shooting.

It is just plain expensive to run rotary wing aircraft.

Thanks for the info as this does look like something a guy needs to try a least once.

Just kidding, shooting steel in a match :-)

Hunting involves the concept of fair chase. This isn't hunting.